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About EconDesk
- What can EconDesk do for me?
- What kind of information is provided?
- How much does it cost to use EconDesk?
- Who can use EconDesk?
- At what time is EconDesk available?
- When will I receive an answer?
- In which form (and to what extent) does EconDesk provide information?
- Who answers the questions?
- How does EconDesk assure the quality of answers?
- What is QuestionPoint?
- What happens to the personal data I provide in the webforms?
- What happens if EconDesk can not answer the question?
- How can I complain about answers from EconDesk?
What can EconDesk do for me?
EconDesk supports you individually in your search for economics-specific information. With EconDesk we want to provide you with a reference service independent of your location and independent of the opening times of the German National Library of Economics (ZBW). EconDesk leaves the choice of the communication tool to you. You decide whether you prefer writing an e-mail, chatting, calling on the telephone or visiting the ZBW (in Kiel or Hamburg) in person. We advise you individually and without charge on the search for literature and also provide brief facts in economics.
Which kind of information is provided?
We supply information concerning literature search and library services and provide brief facts regarding questions in economics.
These include:
- Statistical data
- Information on consumer goods industries and markets (in selection)
New: EconDesk provides information on consumer goods industries and markets from the database GMID - Global Market Information Database - free of charge.Outside the GMID, the ZBW has very limited access to industry data which usually refers to an entire industry, not particular products (i.e. chemical industry, not adhesives).
- Information on companies and institutions
- Biographical information
- Country information
- Definitions of technical terms
- Translation of technical terms from English to German
- Explanation of acronyms abbreviations
- General information from encyclopaedias
- Verification of citations
In EconVisit you receive an introduction to literature search in the German National Library of Economics (ZBW) in Kiel or Hamburg. We advise you individually and without charge on the search for literature on a topic of your choice from economics or business practice.
How much does it cost to use EconDesk?
EconDesk is free of charge.
Who can use EconDesk?
Everyone who wants to put questions concerning economics and business studies is welcome to use EconDesk. You do not need a user card of the German National Library of Economics (ZBW). Questions can be processed in German and English.
At what time is EconDesk available?
- EconMail can be used around the clock.
- EconChat is available from 10 am to 5 pm (CET) on business days.
- EconPhone is available on business days from 9 am – 5 pm (CET).
- Introductions to literature search on site in the ZBW in Kiel or Hamburg (EconVisit) can start between 9 am and 6 pm (CET) on business days. Please suggest a time and date in the e-mail form.
When will I receive an answer?
Questions that are put via e-mail (and questions that are put via chat or telephone but cannot be answered immediately) will be answered as soon as possible – within two business days at the latest.
In which form (and to what extent) does EconDesk provide information?
EconDesk provides brief facts, such as single statistical data or a definition of a term, and helps you with your literature search and library use. In cases of comprehensive and time-consuming searches for facts or in cases in which we ourselves cannot find the answer in our reference works and databases, we will gladly help you with hints on literature or databases in which you can perform the search yourself.
Because of copyright and licence issues, EconDesk can deliver only brief information (e.g. the inflation rate of Chile) directly. These include the bibliographical data for the source of the information. If your question requires a larger text from a source protected by copyright law, we will send you the bibliographical data of the source. You can check if the text is available in your own library or order it from the German National Library of Economics (ZBW) via document delivery or interlibrary loan.
Answers as well as chat transcripts will be sent to you via e-mail.
Who answers the questions?
EconDesk is a service of the German National Library of Economics (ZBW). Incoming questions are accepted by a librarian and either answered by her / him immediately, or - depending on the topic - referred to one of our academic staff.
This also applies to introductions to literature search (EconVisit).
How does EconDesk ensure the quality of answers?
Information for answering your question is taken from:
- The stock of reference works and databases of the German National Library of Economics (ZBW),
- websites on the internet that have been selected for quality and factual content and
- the general library stock.
EconDesk staff are familiar with databases and literature research as well as with the internet. They check internet resources by using a catalogue of criteria to assess and assure the quality and suitability for academic work.
What is QuestionPoint?
QuestionPoint is a software that renders the administration of chat and e-mail reference services easier. QuestionPoint is used in libraries all over the world. All questions you send to EconDesk are processed with the software QuestionPoint. Your questions are saved for 90 days on the QuestionPoint server in the USA.
What happens to the personal data I provide in the webforms?
Your questions are saved for 90 days on a secure server in the USA. After 90 days they will be deleted or anonymized. Your name and your e-mail address will only be deleted at your request. In this case please send us an e-mail. Of course your e-mail address will not be given to commercial institutions or marketing companies. You can use a pseudonym to input into the box requesting your name.
If you do not agree to these terms, please use the service EconPhone.
What happens if EconDesk cannot answer the question?
Unfortunately there are cases where the information you need is not obtainable from the databases and reference works of the German National Library of Economics (ZBW) or even on the internet. In this case EconDesk will try to name you other contact persons for your question.
How can I complain about answers?
EconDesk exclusively answers questions about the services of the German National Library of Economics (ZBW) and literature search in economics, or provides brief factual information in economics and business studies. At EconDesk we cannot always provide an answer from our resources. We aim to provide punctual, up-to-date information individually tailored to your needs. Should we fail to do this, should there have occurred a misunderstanding or should you not be entirely satisfied with an answer from EconDesk for some other reason, we will be glad to process your question again after a clarification. Please send us your complaint within 21 days after the receipt of the answer. There is a form available for reclamations: feedback form.
For processing your reclamation please quote the ID (identification number) of the respective question. You will find the ID in the subject line of the answer e-mail from EconDesk.
Please note that chat transcripts and e-mail requests for information are deleted from our system or anonymized after 90 days.
We will be glad to receive your feedback concerning EconDesk.
3: Lukas Roth